Bounty
by Superpsych96
Summary: Shawn Spencer is a bounty hunter in post Civil War California. He is a rough man enjoying a rough life, but when he sees a price to find and rescue one Mrs. Juliet Rand, who he is begins to change.
1. Chapter 1

Green eyes, cold and calculating scanned the small camp through the end of a tree line. Strong hands gripped firmly to a repeating rifle that has seen plenty of use. He spotted three men and one woman.

Without a word, the watching man busted out of the tree line with rifle raised. "You have three seconds to clear the hell out of here!" the man barked, keeping his eyes moving to all three. "The lady stays." he said a little more calmly.

The three men slowly rose, hands above their heads. The lady tried to stand, but she found it difficult due to the thick ropes around her ankles and wrists. "Ma'am, you can just stay how you are, if that pleases you." The new stranger didn't look over to her, his peripheral doing enough.

"Thank you," the blonde captive awkwardly mumbled, still unsure of what was happening. Was she rescued, or was she going from the frying pan to the fire?

"It's about ten seconds now." The stranger's face was hidden by the pitch black of night, the light from the flames only revealing a hint of stubble. "Get out of here on your own, or don't get out at all." The man fired his rifle at the bare ground in front of the middle captor's feet.

The three men slowly began to back away towards there horses. "What'd you want with the bi..."

"Language, fella." The stranger stopped him, pulling the level back on his rifle.

"The girl?" The heavily bearded man asked, bumping into his horse as he continued to back away.

"If that was any of your business, I'd let you know. Seeing as it ain't, I'm still waiting for you to GET THE HELL OUT!" He stepped into the light of the fire now. The three scoundrels finally saddled up and rode out of the camp, leaving everything they had behind, but they still had their lives.

"Stay there, I'm coming to you." The still unannounced man lowered his rifle and casually walked over to her side, pulling a bowie knife from his hip. "I ain't gonna hurt you," he promised when he saw the terrified expression take over her crystal blue eyes.

"Who are you?" the poor girl asked quietly as her... hopefully savior... cut her ties. She looked up to his green eyes that studied her red, raw wrists.

"I'm afraid I don't have anything for those burns." He motioned to her burns but didn't touch her, not knowing what kind of damage had been done to this girl. "Take it easy and relax, Mrs. Rand. You're safe, alright?"

"You still haven't told me your name, and why do you know who I am?" she had to ask, moving a stray blonde hair away from her eye.

"It ain't important who I am. There are people after you, some good and some bad." He wasn't willing to say too much.

"Which one are you?" She asked shyly, looking up at him from under long eyelashes.

"Which do you think, Mrs. Rand?" He chuckled to himself and played with a stick he found near the fire.

"Please sir, call me Juliet." She decided he was one of the good ones, though he played the mystery game.

"I ain't a sir," he said quickly and with quiet force. "Get some rest if you can. Long road to get you home, starting tomorrow."

"Well, I need something to address you by, don't I?" Juliet pushed. It had been too long since she had someone to talk to without being hit or called names like tramp, slut, whore, harlett or bitch.

"Lady, in three days, you ain't gonna remember me." The stranger was adamant about his identity not being known. "I ain't worth knowing."

It had become obvious that this green eyed man wasn't much for talking or trying to get along. Juliet wasn't entirely sure if she should want to know him. Was he any better than the other three that had taken her in the first place? Her mind had told her so, given the fact that he had freed her from her restraints and hadn't touched a hair on her head.

"Mister... did they leave any food?" Juliet ventured out, testing the water with this gunslinger.

"Lady, you ain't gotta be afraid to ask me anything. Just don't be expecting an answer to all of them." The man dug through a saddle bag that had been left behind by Juliet's tormentors.

Juliet leaned forward, sweeping hair behind her ear to keep it from dangling into the licking flame.

The man pulled back, hiding the contents from Juliet with a mischievous look in his eyes. "I think I can make something out of this," he said cryptically, not explaining what he could do.

She watched with hopeful eyes and tried to hide her smile as this man in front of her set up a percolator of coffee and cleaned a recently used pan. "I get to eat too, don't I?" Juliet asked again hesitantly.

"Ma'am, what the hell kind of people had you?" he asked with disgust as he put the pan on the cast iron grate to keep it out of the fire and ashes.

"Unsavory people, Mister." Juliet answered, rubbing her shoulder that was covered by her dirty and torn dress.

"Well ma'am, you ain't stuck with them anymore. I ain't your friend, but I ain't gonna cause you any pain," he promised. "When was the last time they fed you?" He loosely pointed a stick in her direction.

"They fed me a little bit everyday. I tried to steal some food but they caught me..." her voice trailed off and her eyes dropped.

"What'd they do?" He squinted his eyes. He had a pretty good idea. Her jaw clenched and she closed her eyes, but she refused to cry. "Juliet, they beat you, didn't they?"

Juliet didn't say anything, she didn't need to. "That was the first time," she replied in a quiet, hollow voice.

"Damn it." He rose up, taking his rifle with him.

"Where are you going, Mister?" Juliet almost stood up, ready to follow him. She didn't know anything about him, but she would go with him over being left alone or found by anyone else.

"I'm gonna go find those pieces of shit, and shoot at least one of them," he said as he got into the saddle. "Keep this with you. There's food in the saddle bag and coffee on," the now pissed off stranger told her as he threw a pistol to the ground just in front of her. "Name's Spencer, by the way." He finally gave a piece of identification as he turned his horse to leave the way he came. "I can't take three days of being called 'Mister,'" he said in distaste.

* * *

"Who the Hell was that dirty rustler anyway?" one of the men asked as he swigged from a bottle of whiskey. "Riding up outta nowhere like he owns the damned territory."

"I like to think I do, friend," the same man said from his saddle, rifle drawn. "You see fellas, I'm not a good man by any rights, but I don't hit a lady." Spencer shook his head, pulling back the hammer on his Winchester rifle.

"Have a soft spot for her already, do ya?" asked a man, his Irish accent causing Spencer to smirk.

"You can go first. Where do you want it?" he asked. "Leg or arm?"

"Are ya bloody mad? You're going to shoot us and leave us, are you?" The Irishman asked, his hands already up again. "What kinda man are you?".

"The kinda man who doesn't mind spilling blood, but doesn't tolerate hitting a woman," Spencer offered. "I'll choose." He raised his rifle and pulled a trigger, a white hot bullet shattered the man's knee cap. "Damn son, that looks like it hurt." Spencer tisked.

"Please Mister, don't do us the same. I'm begging!" The second man dropped to his knees next to his screaming partner.

"Did you boys touch her?" Spencer hopped off his horse, rifle coming with him. There was no misunderstanding in what his question meant.

"We were gonna, but she's a little spitfire, that one. She fought off me and Fitz. Lil' John didn't do nothing."

"I appreciate the honesty." Spencer swung the butt of his rifle hard into the second man's groin, causing him to crash into the dirt with a scream. "You'd be Little John, I'm guessing?" he asked the boy that couldn't be more than seventeen.

"Ye yes, sir," Little John choked out.

"Get outta here, kid. Find yourself a good crew and keep your nose dry." Spencer pointed his thumb behind him, telling him to hit the road.

"Th, thank you, sir." Little John tipped his hat and ran to his horse, scrambled into the saddle and nearly bolted.

"And the name's Shawn, not sir, damn it!" Shawn hated when people called him "sir."

* * *

Juliet held tightly to the 1851 Model Colt that Shawn had given her while he was gone. The tree line rustled and Juliet raised the old piece, firing twice into the trees.

"Damn it woman, you damn near killed me!" Shawn yelled, coming out of the trees, still in the saddle.

"I'm sorry!" Juliet exclaimed, dropping the pistol. "I heard only one shot and quite a bit of screaming. I feared the worst," Juliet explained herself.

"And what would that be, Ms. Juliet?" Shawn asked as he dismounted with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"I thought... they got you," she said quietly, her eyes finding his.

"I'm kinda good at what I do, and they ain't," Shawn chuckled, sitting back down by the fire. "Did you get any food in you?" Shawn motioned to the pan with his little stick again.

"No I didn't." Juliet's answer was a little more solid this time, but still not where Shawn would have liked it to be.

"Juliet, could you please stop being nervous?" Shawn chuckled with a small smile. "You've been through a lot here, I get that, but you make me feel like a monster."

"I'm sorry Mr. Spencer. I'm just not feeling very... trusting... right now," Juliet said apologetically.

"I understand that." Shawn nodded, taking off his wide brimmed, brown cowboy hat. "I ain't gonna tell you to trust me. I ain't gonna stop you from going anywhere, but I hope you have better sense than to run off."

Juliet nodded, appreciating Shawn's coolness about the situation. "Thank you, Mr. Spencer."

"Don't mention it," Shawn said as he got back up and walked to his horse to take off the saddle.

"What are you up to?" Juliet asked, finally finding the comfort Shawn hoped she would.

"If you want to sleep with your head on the rocks, that's fine by me. I thought you might like something to lean on instead," Shawn explained as he now held the saddle in his hands, not sure if she'd accept it or not.

"Thank you." Juliet weakly smiled and stood up for the first time since she had met Shawn.

Shawn only nodded and walked the saddle to where Juliet's sorry excuse for a bedspread had been thrown. He placed it down lateral with the fire, so her whole body and not just her feat could have warmth. The territory around Santa Barbara could be scorching during the day, but could become frigid in the depths of night.

"What did they give you to sleep with?" Shawn asked, guessing what they gave her for blankets wasn't generous.

"Next to nothing," came her reply. She hated sounding like a helpless sad sack, but she wasn't going to lie to him about how they treated her. "They gave me a blanket to lay on." She held up a blanket that was less than matting for under a saddle. "And a blanket to go over." Juliet then showed him a larger in area, but thinner blanket.

Shawn shook his head and exhaled. "And they try telling me the Indians are the savages." He stared into the flames a while, not thinking about anything, seemingly lost. "How long have you been out here?" Shawn finally spoke again.

"A week. Give or take a day or two." Juliet met his inquisitive eyes, the look on his face that she couldn't read said there was more coming. Her mind was falling in and out of lucidity from exhaustion. She didn't notice the small meal he was preparing for her.

"Mrs. Rand, I know it's late but getting some food in your guts is gonna give you a lot better sleep. You ain't gotta fight them hunger pains and all," Shawn suggested before she could nod off.

"Will you eat with me, Mr. Spencer?" Juliet asked quietly, that shyness at such a simple request was back.

"If it helps you sleep, I guess," Shawn shrugged, not understanding the gesture that meant more to Juliet than she'd admit. "Your husband, Mr. Rand. Why ain't he out with a posse somewhere after you?" Juliet's gaze refused to leave the embers under the percolator, telling Shawn's observant eyes that this wasn't an easy question for her. "Sorry, I guess it weren't my place to ask." Shawn backpedaled.

"No, it's alright." She looked up briefly and shot him a weak smile. The look he gave her wasn't convincing at all. An idea came to her mind and she gave him a genuine smile. "How about this, Mr. Spencer; give me your first name, and I'll answer any questions you have about me." She wasn't sure why knowing his name was such a big deal to her, but she just felt like she had to know. Those green eyes needed a name other than 'Mr. Spencer'.

Shawn had no intentions on getting to know this girl, but for some reason, he had become oddly curious. "Alright, fine. Shawn." That was all she was going to get out of him. "Hold up on questions for a spell." Shawn told her, going back to his pan. "It ain't anything fancy, but I ain't much of the culinary type." Shawn shrugged, handing her a tin plate with a biscuit and a substance between stew and hash.

Juliet took the plate and sniffed it. It didn't look all that appetizing, but it was food, and it was hot unlike most of the scraps they'd given her. It would take quite some time for her to get her proper weight back. She was near starved. "Thank you, Shawn." The thank you was whole hearted, though she didn't know how the food would go down.

"Behind you by the saddle, should be a canteen." Shawn pointed behind her. "I expect they didn't give you all the water you needed, neither."

Juliet kept her eyes on him as she reached for where he had pointed. Sure enough, her hand met scratchy canvas. She pulled up the canteen and enjoyed the greatest drink she'd ever had in her life, gulping down as much as she could handle. Once she had had her fill, she wiped her mouth and looked at Shawn with an expression he couldn't identify.

"What is it?" he asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"If you're like those other men, the ones that took me away... why are you being nice to me?" Juliet's voice came in at just over a whisper, her eyes not meeting his.

Shawn exhaled and rubbed a rough, calloused hand through his messy brown hair. "Juliet, I ain't being nice to you, alright? I'm not a good man, I just ain't a bad man."

"If you don't mind Shawn, I disagree." Shawn's brow rose before she could finish. "I think you are a good man. You've gone out of your way to take care of me. Why?" Her eyes bore into his the entire time she spoke.

"Eat up and go to bed, Mrs. Rand." Shawn dismissed everything she had just said, and chose to roll out his bedroll, tossing an extra blanket at her, which she barely caught.

* * *

Next time on Bounty, Shawn and Juliet begin the road to Juliet's home. More is revealed about Juliet and her husband, Mr. Rand.

Bounty


	2. Shawn Almost Did a Bad, Bad Thing

Shawn woke with the warm of the rising sun on his face, not feeling ready to start the day just yet. Across the dead fire laid Juliet, still peacefully sleeping like nothing had happened to her.

He slowly rose and found a nearby tree to elevate himself but still keep a watchful eye on her. Once he was done, he took out the bar of soap from the top of his saddle bag to rinse and wash his hands. Shawn may be a rough man who isn't afraid to draw down with anybody, but he wasn't a savage.

"Is that... soap?" Juliet asked, slowly rising up off the blanket.

"Yes ma'am." Shawn replied, wrapping it back up in the clothe and stowing it away.

"It feels like ages since I last used soap..." she trailed off sadly, missing her baths and warm water back in Santa Barbara.

His eyes fell to the pan he had made for her last night, seeing all the contents had been removed. "You need breakfast, or are you 'bout ready to ride?"

Juliet quietly sat for a moment as if thinking. "I believe I'm ready to set out if you are, Mr. Spencer." She smiled and stood, stretching her arms to the sky. "My belly is satisfied for now."

Shawn chuckled briefly before saddling up his horse. "Those fools last night left a pack horse. Throw off what we don't need, and you got yourself a mount."

"You want me to ride bare back?" Juliet asked incredulously, finding the idea absurd.

"Ma'am, I don't know what else you expect me to do." Shawn shrugged, hopping into the saddle. "Riding up here with me most likely ain't on your to do list." Shawn chuckled at his own joke.

"I could think of worse things." Juliet mumbled under her breath, hoping it went unheard.

Shawn pretended he didn't hear that one. "Just get on the damn horse, Mrs. Rand." Shawn flicked the leather reins and started off slowly, deciding to let Juliet try to get on the saddleless beast without his scrutinizing gaze.

It wasn't too long till she trotted up to his side, a triumphant smirk on her face. She had a rope that had secured their supplies in place of reins, and a blanket twice folded over instead of a saddle. Shawn wasn't going to admit it, but he was impressed.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"There's a creek down there." Shawn pointed to the bottom of a slow sloping rise, not a hundred yards from the path they were riding on.

"Yes Mr. Spencer, there is." Juliet found herself lightly giggling at Shawn's obvious statement.

Shawn removed his hat and ran his hand through his hair with a chuckle. "What I'm saying is, if you want to bathe, now's your shot." Shawn reached into his saddle bag and pulled out his precious bar of soap.

Juliet looked at him with unease. She liked Shawn so far, but she didn't know him completely.

"Nothin' sinister, I swear." Shawn made straight eye contact with her and placed a hand over his heart. The soft gesture seemed odd coming from such a man. It sure didn't match his straight and stoic face. He had to be a Hell of a poker player.

"You promise not to look?" Juliet double checked as Shawn was already making his way down the small rise at a slow canter.

"Wouldn't peep for a second, ma'am. You have my word." She couldn't find any deceit in his tone, his body relaxed and easy.

They had reached the bottom and the pair dismounted, Juliet having a harder time than he had due to the lack of stirrups.

"My back'll be to you. Strip down to your unders or strip down to your nothin'." Shawn told her, sitting on a large rock on the riverbed.

Juliet truly smiled at her guardian, comfortably perched with Winchester repeating rifle across his lap and 1851 Model Colt revolver in his right hand. She wouldn't want to be anyone who disturbed her bath, but she felt nothing of fear from him.

It wasn't long before she was stripped down and slowly wading through the creek which had a surprisingly quick drop off. "The water's so nice!" she cooed, her body humming in satisfaction. "Care to come in for a swim, Shawn?" She thought it'd be fun to poke.

"I hardly see that being appropriate, you being a misses and all." Shawn pointed out with a quick chuckle. Had he turned to face her, would have seen the scowl that so briefly flashed across her face. She was impressed by his morals, though.

"Besides, I don't think you're ready to see all of this." Shawn motioned to his body with the hand that still held the pistol. Had he been facing her, she would have seen the arrogant smirk on his face.

Juliet scoffed at Shawn's rebuttal but soon began to wash herself, deciding not to waist too much time. She stopped when she felt an odd kind of stiffness in the atmosphere of their little swimming hole.

"Juliet, I'm gonna have to insist that you find a way to go and hide yourself." Shawn said quietly, slowly leaving his perch for a nearby tree he could hide behind.

Without asking questions, she silently cut through the water to a further place along the bank where she found a small weed bed to hide among, though she protested the feeling of the plant life.

Shawn looked behind him to make sure she was safe and out of view before he focused on what had set him off. Sure enough, three riders appeared on the ledge where they had been not ten minutes before. Unless he was mistaken, it was Juliet's three captors he had expected to have seen the last of the night before.

The three riders paused in their journey and seemed to survey the area. Before long they resumed their journey, causing Shawn to let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. He wouldn't mind putting those three jackals down, but he hoped he wouldn't have to do it with Juliet so close.

"It's alright now. They're gone." Shawn announced to the tiniest clump of blonde hair floating among the weeds.

A head slowly arose with worried eyes and a frightened expression. Juliet watched Shawn as he leaned back into the tree to make damn sure they were no longer a worry.

"Take your time and finish up." Shawn said, going back to his rock. "If you ain't in a hurry, I ain't neither."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Juliet had laid on the soft, green grass while the warm sunlight dried her body. It was the most relaxed she had felt in months, maybe even longer.

Shawn was asleep himself, his hat pulled down over his face. He talked in his sleep, giving Juliet something to listen to while they both rested. He spoke to people she had never heard of, some people that were and weren't that savory.

Juliet decided she had better dress herself sooner rather than later. Though Shawn might not object to it, she wasn't so keen on the idea of him waking up to find her comfortably laid out on the grass, in the nude.

Shawn had woken up not long after Juliet had again made herself decent. She asked a question he wasn't prepared for when he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Who's Abigail?" Juliet asked curiously as she came to sit next to him.

Shawn froze and stared straight ahead of him. "Who the Hell you been talking to?" Shawn asked in return, turning to face her with absolute cold in his eyes.

Juliet shrank back, this having been the first time she had seen real anger from him. She didn't know what kind of man Shawn was when he was set off. "You, you were talking in your sleep." Juliet shakily explained herself.

"Yeah well, forget what you heard. You understand me?" Shawn said quickly, getting up and moving for the horses.

Juliet frowned at the quick turn of events. She had no idea, and still didn't. Shawn had not yet ceased to intrigue her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Shawn, where are we?" Juliet stopped her horse next to his on the road, a small town directly in front of them.

"San Posse, Mrs. Rand." Shawn answered coldly, still bitter about her question from earlier that day. "Small town, but there's rooms enough for us to spend the night. And besides, I need a bottle." He flicked the reins and moved forward into the little town Juliet never knew existed, though it was relatively close to home.

Juliet cringed at the idea of Shawn being a heavy drinker. She had had her fill of heavy drinkers from living with her husband. Soundlessly she followed him, thinking she might find use in a bottle herself. Maybe even a hot bath without a weed bed and would-be killers.

"Let's find somewhere to hole up for the night before we start trying to get into all kinds of trouble, alright?" Shawn made direct eye contact, not knowing much about her in this kind of setting.

"Me, a trouble maker?" Juliet scoffed and placed a hand daintily across her chest.

"Yeah, mhmm." Shawn's doubt was easily confirmed by that little act. "There ain't much to do in this town, aight?" Shawn's accent worsened the more sleep deprived he became. "But I got to keep you safe. You don't go out of the inn without me being right there, you understand me?"

"Yes sir." Juliet saluted with an overly straight face. She might as well enjoy her time as a smart ass before he could think twice about it.

The mismatched pair cantered down the dirt road of the poor excuse for a town which was no more than a civilization checkpoint for those that still strove for California gold.

They passed the general store, the saloon and the blacksmith shop. They ignored the calls they received from the cat house. They passed the druggist and the dentist and a row of small houses before they finally came to the end of the road, placing them at the inn.

"Cozy little joint." Juliet stated, not thinking much of the place one way or another. It was better than sleeping on the ground with the bugs and the critters. The idea of a mattress and sheets made her giddy on the inside.

"Ain't bad, I suppose." Shawn shrugged as he dismounted and tied his horse to the thick hitching post that ran most of the length of the building. "Let's get on in there and get us some rooms." Shawn patted her shoulder in passing as if she was just an old riding partner of his, just another guy. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't like that idea.

"Rooms?" Juliet asked, a little surprised. "We don't have to share?" She tried to make sure her voice wasn't too disappointed or too hopeful.

"Mrs. Rand, I'm trying to get you home safe and sound, but I ain't trying to keep you under lock and key. Besides, that bounty I'll be collectin'll more than pay for any expenses.

"I've never seen a bounty hunter so free with his earnings." Juliet commented as Shawn opened the door. He didn't hold it open for her, but his arm lingered on the solid oak long enough for her to not have to completely open it herself.

"I spend more time working jobs than I spend off a trail. If I don't spend on the job, I sit on money, and I'm not much of a saver, I guess." Shawn explained as he came to the front desk.

"Good afternoon sir. How may I help you?" The man smiled behind the desk, each corner of his mouth pulled up to both ends of his well kept, white mustache.

"Yeah, I need two rooms, if you got em'." Shawn asked, digging into his vest pocket for the gold pieces he knew would be required of him.

"Mr. Spencer," Juliet wasn't sure why this gentleman knew Shawn by name. Was there going to be trouble? "I can't let you pay for your rooms after you shooed out that drunkard that refused to leave last time you were in town." The man held up his delicate hands that hadn't seen pan or pick axe.

"Well shit, Daniel. The stupid sum'bitch holed himself up for three days and wouldn't pay his dues. I ain't a good man myself, but I can't tolerate a man who don't pay his dues." Shawn shook his head in disgust.

"Enjoy your rooms, Mr. Spencer." The man revealed to be Daniel held up a key to each traveler with a polite smile.

"Thank you." Juliet said to Daniel for both of them, her curious eyes stayed focused on Shawn, however. He was certainly a different cut of man than she was used to. He said he wasn't a good guy, but he seemed to have a fine head on his shoulders.

They walked up the creaking wooden steps and Shawn mumbled out the rooms' numbers as they went by. "Well here's me." Shawn unlocked his door and dropped the saddle bags unceremoniously at the legs of a small desk. He had to admit the place wasn't that bad.

Juliet opened her door and immediately fell head first on the bed, her body bouncing softly. She groaned in pleasure and curled herself into the down feather comforter.

Her childish reveling was halted when she heard a deep but quiet chuckle from the doorway. She rolled over to look at the dark haired bounty hunter she had come to feel so safe with. "Sorry." She frowned as if she'd done something wrong.

"Don't apologize, Juliet." Shawn chuckled again. "You earned some intimate time with the bed here." Shawn turned to leave to do God only knew.

"Hey Shawn?" Juliet asked before she knew what she was going to follow up with.

"Mm?" Shawn grunted as his answer, turning back around to face Juliet, who was again sitting up like an actual adult.

"Can we... can we just... get something to eat and drink, stay up here for the night?" Juliet didn't feel like being left alone in her room while Shawn was out gambling or getting a woman of ill repute. She wasn't exactly sure what Shawn did, but she didn't want him to leave her alone in this strange little town.

"You don't want to go mingle with people, or do whatever the Hell it is you people with money do?" Shawn asked with a suspicious eyebrow.

Juliet played with the hem of the soft comforter, trying to find the courage to talk to this hard man that she knew was a good guy deep down. She didn't want to change him, she just wanted to know him, and for some reason she couldn't yet identify, she wanted him to know her as well.

"Can we play cards and talk? Just us?" It took quite a bit of will power for her to look him in the eyes. He always told her not to be shy around him, but he commanded an aura of authority that kept her from being straight forward with him.

His hazel eyes were a mix between amused, confused, and disbelieving. She'd never seen something so complex in a single pair of eyes at one time. "What the Hell do you want to waste your time talking to me for?" He chuckled and removed his hat, dragging a tired hand down his face.

Juliet chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to formulate an answer. It didn't go unnoticed when Shawn's eyes betrayed him and fell to her mouth, catching every detail of her soft pink lips. After everything that had happened to her in the last week, Shawn had beat back with a stick the fact that she was still beautiful outside and probably inside.

"I feel like I owe a drink to the man who saved me." Her eyes met his, her crystal blues focused on him and wouldn't let his gaze go. She had him captivated, mesmerized, and she knew it. This cut throat desperado wasn't even immune to her charms.

Shawn sighed in an exasperated way and put a hand on his belt. "Now that we're settled, let's see what this town's got in it for a hot meal." He stood there and waited, for what exactly, Juliet didn't quite know. "You comin'? I ain't bringing it to you. This don't work that way."

Juliet hopped up out of the bed and was by his side. She soon felt foolish for how eager she had seemed, which she was sure Shawn had also caught. He was more of a gentleman than he gave himself credit for, based on the fact that he only smirked at her behavior instead of saying something.

The pair walked along the hall and down the stairs, straight out the door without a word. Shawn did seem to be the strong silent type. Juliet was okay with the amiable silence. It was comfortable, and she wasn't about to make it awkward by speaking with nothing to say.

Shawn looked left and he looked right, down the old dirt road. "This hole has got to have somewhere a man and woman can fill themselves up." He commented. He didn't see a place coming in, and they were at the end of main street.

Juliet pursed her lips together and quietly sighed. "Maybe the saloon has a kitchen?" Santa Barbara had a similar setup. "We could check there?"

"Aight." Shawn simply agreed and began down the street with Juliet faithfully by his side. In a place like this, his was the only side she trusted.

Soon enough they came to the saloon, the small wooden double doors swinging slightly in the evening breeze. The clouds that had come in with the picking up winds had made both weary travelers happy to be in a town for the night.

Hazel and crystal blue eyes alike took in the little establishment, scarcely populated by other travelers and locals. Juliet's eyes lit up when she smelled the unmistakable heavenly scent of cooked meat.

"You smell that too, huh?" Shawn looked over at her to take in the smile that graced Juliet's fine face. It left a small buzz in his stomach that he immediately squashed.

"I sure do." she replied, her eyes moving to a small table and Shawn's eyes followed. For the first time, she lead and he followed.

The two sat down, Shawn having made no move to do the gentleman's deed of pulling out the lady's chair. She was wasn't his lady.

The place was near dead, so it wasn't long before the one waiter in the place made his way over to them. He was about to speak, but Shawn spoke first.

"I'll have a glass and a bottle of whiskey, along with whatever the cook doesn't mind making." Shawn ordered for himself.

"I'll do the same." Juliet nodded. The waiter in turn nodded and went back the way he came.

"A woman with money that's easy to please?" Shawn raised an eyebrow as the waiter came back to them with a bottle and two glasses.

"I'm not really in a position to ask for much." Juliet took the glass that he had just filled and slid across the table. Much to Shawn's amusement, she had no trouble knocking it back.

"Where did you learn to drink like that?" Shawn asked before downing his shot just as easily.

"I wasn't always a rich girl." Juliet watched as Shawn filled her glass again.

"Mhmm." Shawn knew there was a lot more to that story. "There something you need to talk about?" His voice was even, not angry or caring, just... flat.

"Why would you even listen? Why would you care?" Juliet's question was curiosity, not doubt.

"I ain't gonna ask twice, Mrs. Rand. I ain't a talker, but listening never hurt anybody." Shawn stated his feelings on the matter. "You look like a girl that needs to talk, not necessarily be talked at. I ain't gonna tell you how to solve any of your life woes."

"Alright." Juliet gently smiled. "I have a proposition for you. We finish up here and go back to one of our rooms. We'll take that bottle and we'll both talk?"

Shawn chuckled and shook his head as the waiter came back with their dinners; red potatoes and green beans with cuts of steak that surprised Shawn and Juliet with their quality for a place like this.

"Many thanks." Shawn said as he and Juliet began to dig in. The waiter nodded and took his leave, Juliet and Shawn alone again. "You're saying you want to throw down this bottle with me and what, have some kind of deep heart to heart?" Shawn asked before stuffing his mouth.

Juliet lowered her head at the way Shawn had said it and even chuckled before hand. Why did he have to be like that? Why couldn't he stop being the tough guy for just a little bit, even one night?

"If that's really what you want." Shawn shrugged before going back for another mouthful.

"Really?" Juliet asked with wide eyes. Was this a joke or was Shawn being serious.

"What do I have to lose? You get too drunk to remember what I told you and you never have to see me again after I get you home." Shawn summed up his reasoning for agreeing to Juliet's proposition. He pretended he missed Juliet's tiny wince when he said she'd never have to see him again.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The pair finished their dinners in amiable silence and Shawn paid his bill without thinking anything of it. Juliet had felt bad about it, not having anything to contribute.

Shawn had taken the bottle and Juliet followed him out of the saloon. Juliet felt eyes on her and turned her head to see two strange men watching her from across the street. She clutched onto Shawn's arm, hoping the sight of her armed and rugged protector would be enough to make them look elsewhere.

Shawn felt her arms wrap around one of his, and he looked down at her with a smirk and raised eyebrow. Her eyes displayed fear, and he quickly scanned his surroundings to see what had his little charge so spooked.

His eyes landed on the two gunmen across the street. He had seen much harder men, but after Juliet's ordeal, he could see where her uneasiness came from. He looked her right in the eyes, stopped her in her tracks and without asking, lifted her head by the chin with a single finger... and kissed her right on the mouth.

Juliet was shocked to say the least. She couldn't believe he had the audacity to kiss her, a married woman, in broad daylight in front of everybody! She knew why, though. Those two leering figures knew full well that Juliet was not going to be victimized by anyone while Shawn Spencer watched over her.

As soon as the initial shock left her, she kissed him right back. She had to, right? But for her, this didn't seem like an acting kiss. There seemed to be something behind it. Her suspicions were confirmed when Shawn pulled away and looked her in the eyes again. His eyes seemed darker now, predatorily, even.

Juliet had to fight herself to not close the distance again. Before she could, Shawn had taken her hand and began down the wooden planked sidewalk to the hotel.

After a short walk, they found themselves in Juliet's room, both of them sitting on the same edge of the bed.

"I guess I'll go first. "Shawn said as he took a long draw from the bottle. "I'm an only child." he started off easy.

He passed the bottle to Juliet and she took her shot. "I have two brothers, one of them lives in Santa Barbara."

"I've been out here since I was a boy. My pa, Henry, took us out here when the Rush of '49 started." Shawn shared his next piece. "That's the last I'm telling without being asked."

"But I can ask?" Juliet asked with a wide smile. "I can ask anything at all?"

"You can ask whatever you fancy, but then I get to ask." Shawn raised the bottle to his lips again, Juliet followed it all the way up and then down again.

"Alright, Mr. Spencer. Where'd you learn to fight?" Juliet had to know. Was he a soldier once? Was he just some desperado that learned from a hard life and necessity? Did he have a criminal past?

"My pa gave me a gun when we first got to California. I was fourteen at the time. We'd seen small wars break out over claims for gold. We had to defend ourselves." Shawn explained, running a tired hand through his thick brown hair. "Soon as the war broke out, I went back home to Kentucky."

"Did you fight North or South?" Juliet had to ask. California had been a rather divided territory itself during the American Civil War.

"My Uncle Jack owned slaves, so naturally to him, he wanted to 'defend what was his'. I really didn't care much about slavery either way, but I followed Jack. I rose up to Captain, but I didn't see the war the whole way through." Shawn hit the bottle again.

It was obvious to Juliet that all this was still fresh to him. After all, it was only 1866. "Where you wounded?" Juliet asked while holding her breath. She couldn't imagine this gruff, hard ass of a man going down. He seemed so sure of his ability to defend himself and her as well.

"Nah. I'd been hit once, but that didn't send me home. I sent me home." Shawn stared at the floor like it was planning to attack. "We were raiding a farm in the northern half of Kentucky. We didn't know it when we got there, but there must of been thirty escaped slaves hiding there in the horse stable.

"I was gonna check it to see if any of the horses were worth being mounts." Shawn paused a while, his eyes closed and his breathing shallow. "I opened the door, it was me and my First Sergeant, only. We saw them there, spread out and hiding but not all that well."

Juliet couldn't breath. She had no idea where this story was going to go, but at the moment she really didn't like it. She was afraid to ask what was going to happen next.

"My First Sergeant was a good man, an Irish fellow named McNab." Shawn chuckled humorlessly. "He looked at me the same way you are now." He pointed at her with a smirk. As soon as it came, it was gone and his eyes were trained on the floor again.

"I uh, I closed the doors behind us. The escapees were all kinds of terrified. There was one though, one man that came out of hiding to face me. All this poor bastard had was a pitch fork. I told him to stand down, that I wasn't gonna hurt nobody."

Juliet took the bottle from Shawn and put it on the night stand. Their game was forgotten and Shawn had had more than enough. She was still waiting for this story's dime to drop.

"I never meant no black folk harm, and I wasn't gonna start now. I wasn't there to fight them. Besides the fact that my Uncle Jack joined up, I've spent a lot of time wondering why the Hell I did." Sleep deprivation was mixing strongly with the alcohol causing Shawn to run out of time on his lucidity.

"I decided enough was enough, and none of these poor folks were dyin' or worse 'cause of me." Shawn's eyes began to flutter and he swayed back and forth precariously. "So that night, McNab and I deserted. Went straight out the back of the barn and got them people the Hell outta there. We split up once we got outta Indian territory. Never heard from none of them since."

Juliet's heartbeat finally relaxed at the end of Shawn's story. She was really hoping he wasn't going to go a different way with that story. She liked Shawn, but she had only known him for one day and a night. She had no idea what kind of past this man had had.

"You did the right thing, Shawn. I can only have respect for what you... did." Juliet trailed off, turning to look at Shawn only to find that he was fast asleep in his sitting position.

She could only giggle and gently push him down to rest on the bed. "Goodnight, Shawn."

 **XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

 **Okay, I know I said last time that I was going to do Juliet's back story, but Shawn's just took over. Sorry!**


	3. Welcome to Santa Barbara

"Let's get a move on. Day's burning." Shawn kicked Juliet's foot that hung slightly off the bed. Shawn was by no means a morning person, nor was he an any particular kind of day person. The day went till it ended for Shawn Spencer and that was it.

"What time is it?" Juliet rubbed her eyes in an attempt to push the sleep away. She wasn't much of a morning person, either. She was a late sleeper and lazy when she could afford to be. To her, a lady of class and standing, every part of the day had its' purposes and weren't to be misused. This was not what morning was meant for, in her world. Whether she liked it or not though, she was currently in Shawn's world. This meant danger, late nights, early mornings and somewhat questionable food.

"I don't see why the time matters," Shawn said. "We're up now, sun's up. Put that together and you got yourself a face full of trail time." Shawn was already in the doorway, packed up and ready to go.

 _This has got to do with last night_ , Juliet thought to herself. _He's back at the cold and mysterious game because he was afraid that he opened up too much last night._ "Yes, Captain." Juliet tested the waters that was Shawn's mood.

A quick, cold glance over his shoulder before he left the room told her that he was not in a playful mood today. Juliet hoped that the events of yesterday and last night would have brought them closer together. She didn't want Shawn to push away now.

* * *

"Well I'll be damned," Shawn chuckled quietly as the sun went down after an uneventful day. "We got a whole day done away with, and you didn't say one word after we left town this morning." Shawn shook his head and hopped down off the saddle.

Juliet could only scoff at the up front remark of her temporary travelling companion. Was he happy that she had kept to herself all day? Did he dislike her completely? Shawn hadn't been a chatty cathy during their time together, but he had never been blatantly rude to her like that before.

"Gonna sleep in the saddle tonight?" Shawn asked as he unsaddled his own mount. "Your bottom ain't gonna be thanking you in the morning." Shawn shrugged as he carried his saddle off to where he thought the ideal place for the night's camp was.

"What's going on with you?" Juliet asked with puzzlement and a small side of pissed off. "You don't make any kind of attempt to talk to me all day, then you start by insulting me and finish off with a joke?" Juliet huffed and crossed her arms.

Shawn turned around to steal a glance at her, the corner of his mouth pulled into a smirk. "You're mad that I didn't talk to you, now you're being all picky about what I do say?" Shawn scoffed and turned around again, his back to her now. "Women." He shook his head and dropped his saddle onto the soft, green grass.

"Excuse me sir!" Juliet called after him in indigence, climbing down from her horse which had originally belonged to her captors. "I listened to you last night. I hung on every damn word you had to say because I could tell you needed to talk. When was the last time you let someone listen to you, hmm?" she challenged. "And then you repay me with a snippy attitude all day!"

Shawn would have loved to ask her what bee was under her metaphorical bonnett, but it was quite obvious to him that he was indeed the bee. "That's fair," Shawn responded in so few words. "The whole 'let's get drunk and talk' idea, was your fancy if I remember correctly." He stuck a finger at her. "I appreciate what you tried to do and I apologize for my rude behavior, but excuse me for not being a sunny delight after what I told you last night."

"Sorry for wanting to know a bit about the man who saved me!" Juliet raised her tone in frustration at the aggravating man before her.

"How many times do I have to tell you, woman? You do not want to really know me! Quit looking at me as if I'm some strapping hero that rode in to save the beautiful girl in distress from the good of his heart. I came in and got your ass out because a poster saying you're worth $500 told me to!" Shawn's voice rose over hers when he spoke the honest to God's truth. "This ain't no bedtime story, darling."

"I know that because you're no Prince Charming!" Juliet shouted back as she took her little moth eaten blanket off the maple brown steed.

"No, I ain't. If you preferred the three that took ya, I'll give ya back."

"I'm starting to think I'm better on my own. You four seem to be of the same cloth," Juliet snipped back.

"You know what you just got? We're not lighting a fire tonight!" Shawn put his booted foot down.

"You're punishing me because we're arguing?" Juliet couldn't believe how childish Shawn had just gotten. "You won't have a fire, either. You're punishing yourself, too!" the lady pointed out.

"I'm gonna build me a small fire and you can't use it!"

"What is going on with you, Mr. Spencer?" she asked quietly as she settled into her little spread. She pulled the blanket tighter around her because she did miss the fire.

* * *

Juliet awoke the next morning, feeling a lot warmer than when she went to bed. She rolled over to see that she had her own personal little fire next to her. Shawn must have made it sometime during the night. Her next question was where had he gone?

She got up to investigate only to find that there was no sign of the peculiar man. Any hint that he was there at all, was gone. She knew he wasn't a dream because there was an arrow drawn in the dirt. Juliet figured it pointed to Santa Barbara.

* * *

The mayor's mansion had a commanding view of downtown Santa Barbara. That meant Shawn Spencer was going to come in from a side street and avoid being seen by people of note as much as possible.

After he had left the sleeping Misses, he headed straight for town. It was only another three or so miles. Shawn had arrived just as the sun came up, about when he expected the damsel to wake up.

Shawn took his time looking around the sizable town with a Spanish mission looming in the background over the streets with boarded sidewalks. He caught a pretty little harmonica medley that was sweet, yet somber and sad. Naturally, he drifted towards the tune.

The deadly wanderer came upon _Gus's Blacksmith Shop_ , which seemed to be the origin of the song. Sitting there next to the lit forge was the blacksmith, a man Shawn knew, much to his shock.

"Well I'll be damned," Shawn mumbled under his breath. "What are the chances," he asked aloud.

"Oh my God!" the black blacksmith said as he shot up out of his rocking chair. "It's you!" he shouted, openly pointing at the white man on horseback.

"Freedom suits you, friend," Shawn said as he climbed down. "I'm bettin' your Gus?"

"You look a whole lot better when you're not wearing grey," Gus laughed. The two acquaintances shook hands and were happy to meet under happy circumstances. "And yeah, I'm Gus. What brings you to Santa Barbara?" Gus asked, honestly interested.

"Yeah, so, I'm a bounty hunter now," Shawn said. "I'm more or less dropping someone off."

Gus thought for a moment and his eyes went wide. "You found Juliet Rand? That's $500, son!" Gus was up on the posting board. He wasn't a hunter himself, but information was a hobby of his.

"It was," Shawn corrected his seemingly new friend.

"Was?" Gus asked, completely lost.

"I didn't collect."

"Did something happen?" Gus wasn't understanding why anyone would let $500 go free.

"I left her about three miles shy of town. She can bring herself in," Shawn explained what he did, but not why.

"Mhmm," was all Gus said, his arms crossed.

"'Mhmm' what?" Shawn scoffed, now crossing his arms. "There's just some things that shouldn't be taken credit for. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"What? What's that supposed to mean?"

* * *

Juliet Rand rode into town by herself, but paused halfway down mainstreet. She looked up at the giant Adobe mansion that was her home and prison. She hated being the mayor's wife. She could think of quite a few better ways to live.

Her mind was galloping as she closed the distance between her and the hitching post. On the great balcony stood her husband, Declan. The man she wanted to see wasn't there. One of the better ways she saw to live was Shawn's way. He went where he wanted, when he wanted. He was free. She lived a "charmed," a "good" life, but she was far from free. Shawn didn't have orders, expectations or protocol. From the time he woke up till the time he went to bed, it was his day. She envied it. But he had made it clear they weren't to see each other again.

Juliet let herself in and was immediately bowed to by every servant, many of them "freed men." Juliet wasn't delusioned. She knew that the only thing that changed for these men with the passing of the 13th Amendment was that they got wages now. How menial those wages were, too. Just below those of the Irish. Declan was a fair man, so his particular servants were paid relatively handsomely.

She climbed the white stairs and went through the long empty halls until she made it out to the balcony. "Husband," she deadpanned behind the man that made her life so mundane. Declan wasn't a bad man, just… blah.

"Juliet, welcome back to safety and civilization," Declan said without turning around. "Where is the man that brought you back to me?" he asked, genuinely interested.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Juliet scoffed, playing the fool.

"I know someone got you here. Where is the knight that saved you from the tower?" Declan asked, scanning the street line like the mystery man would magically make himself known. "The man deserves his reward. Don't you think?"

It struck Juliet hard across the face why Shawn had let her bring herself in. Shawn didn't apprehend the men that kidnapped her. He had just her. Nobody knew Shawn, so who's to say he didn't just kidnap her and turn her in for the reward? It made sense. Did Declan want to hang Shawn, not give him a reward? Shawn had seen it for exactly what it was. He still saved her, though. _She_ needed to find a way to help him. But first, she had to somehow find him again.

* * *

"Sheriff Lassiter?" Juliet asked as she entered the jail house.

"Mrs. Rand?" the esteemed war vet asked as he stood to his feet. He could certainly be brash, but he knew how and when to be a gentleman. "What are you doing here alone? And it's great to see you back home safe, might I add."

"Thank you, Carlton. But I need help. I need help finding a man," she vaguely put it to him. "Before you jump off the track… he's a good man. But he's a bounty hunter."

"Why would you want to find a hunter for?" Carlton asked as he sat back down in his old wooden chair. "They're dangerous and nothing but trouble," the seasoned sheriff warned.

"I need to find him because it was a bounty hunter that saved me, Carlton," Juliet said with a sigh. "He didn't come in to collect the reward."

"That is odd…" the older man puzzled. "Not like them to turn down money, let alone $500."

"I think he was afraid to come get it," she explained.

"He didn't bring in your kidnappers, did he?" the law man asked. "He thinks if he showed up with just you, it'd be put on him. Unknown Hunter shows up with just pretty, young you? That would smell. You being a woman, who'd believe you, except me of course," he put together.

"Uh, exactly," she stammered. She forgot Sheriff Lassiter was so astute. "He deserves his money. He took care of me and even fed me on the road. He was rough around the edges, but more than I expected from a Hunter." Juliet was fondly lost in her memories of the mysterious and rugged Mr. Spencer.

"Well let's go find your Desperado, shall we?" Carlton asked as he grabbed his repeating rifle off the gun rack behind him. His Union cap wasn't far behind.

* * *

"Well Gus, it was good to see that you're on your feet and your own man. I 'spose I should be moving on down before I find some bad luck," Shawn decided as he got off of the anvil he had sat himself on.

"You just got here!" Gus argued, but didn't put down his tin coffee cup. "And I just made this coffee! Do you think it's easy or cheap for a black man to get coffee?" the smith challenged.

"No, I doubt it is," Shawn chuckled. "It ain't easy for me to stay in one place for too long, though. I'll come see you again, though. I ain't got a lot of friends, so I plan on keeping you," he said as he saddled up.

"You take care of yourself, Shawn."

"You too. 'Specially you," Shawn told him sinscerely before riding out.

* * *

Juliet was happy to have stopped back home so she could change into a blouse and proper riding pants before she set off on another adventure. She was sure this one was going to go over a lot better. She had Sheriff, formerly Major, Carlton Lassiter, with her.

With the sun happily overhead, the two left town with Deputy Edwin 'Buzz' McNabb. The same McNabb that rode with Shawn during the war. Juliet had never connected the dots until this moment.

"So who are we looking for?" Buzz asked in his usual excited manner.

"We're looking for a Hunter by the name of Shawn Spencer," Lassiter told the young deputy.

"Shawn Spencer?" Buzz said, laughing. "Captain Shawn Spencer?" He was fully grinning now.

"Captain?" Lassiter asked, completely bewildered.

"Yessir. Shawn Spencer was my Company Commander during the war. Hell of a guy," Buzz smiled fondly. "I don't know if you'll like him though, sir."

"The man fought for his country. I wish he would have put on a real badge after the war, but I respect the man more already," Lassiter said with a nod.

"Uh, he wasn't a Yank, sir," Buzz told him, a frown replacing the light hearted smile.

"He's not a Yank but was your CO, so you were a… God damn it, McNabb!" Lassiter snipped.

The two men rehashing history began to make Juliet nervous. "Excuse me, gentlemen. If we didn't resume the war in Santa Barbara, that would be wonderful." Someone had to keep the peace.

"Mrs. Rand is right," Lassiter said with a reserved nod. "The war is over. And you two lost. As much as I wish you would have chose the right side then, you're on the right side now."

"Thank you, sir!" Buzz accepted, perfectly happy with that outcome. "Wait a minute…" Buzz said, squinting his eyes. "What is that, up ahead?" he asked, pointing at the plaun's horizon.

Lassiter pulled his field glasses out from a saddlebag and followed McNabb's finger. "It's a rider. He's being chased by a posse. They're riding in twos. That's a basic cavalry formation. Let's go!" Lassiter shouted and snapped his reins.

Juliet had never been on a chase before. She certainly hadn't ever been in a gun fight. She didn't even have a gun. What was she supposed to do? What was the _sheriff_ thinking?

The three ran their horses at full speed in a diagonal line, hoping to cut off the fleeing rider in front. Then they could turn with him and take on the riders.

As the three got closer, Juliet and Buzz were able to make out the escaping rider. "That's Captain Spencer!" Buzz shouted.

"We need to help him!" Juliet yelled over the thundering of the horses. It was like riding on a storm, and this was a small numbered troop.

"Can you shoot and ride, Mrs. Rand?" the old major asked without looking at her.

"What? No! I've never had to!" Juliet said, completely taken aback by the question. Why would a lady?

"You need to today," he told her and handed her his 1861 Navy Colt revolver. "Work the reigns with one hand, point and shoot with the other. Don't fire until McNabb does," he ordered.

Juliet nodded and took the piece, leaving Lassiter free to take up his Henry repeater. He held the reigns with the same hand that steadied the barrel. He took his shot and dropped one of the pursuing riders. Juliet was astounded by the marksmanship she didn't know he had from the saddle.

Another shot, and another downed rider. By this time, they had pulled ahead of Shawn and his pursuers understood their situation. They slowed down their pace and Shawn caught up with the three.

"Who the hell are you two?" Shawn asked as they turned direction to stare down their foes. "Mrs. Rand? You can't be out here!" he barked, but was still in disbelief. "Wait…" he said, turning to buzz. "McNabb?" A massive smile took over.

"I'm the Yankee that just saved your life, Johnny Reb," Lassiter somewhat explained without taking his eyes off the four men in Confederate grey coats. "Care to explain what's going on here?"

"Yeah. I may have pissed off some of their friends when I saved Mrs. Rand, here."


End file.
